Volatile Substance Monitoring System and Volatile Substance Monitoring Method

Abstract

To accurately grasp the level of a volatile substance such as ethanol in an incubator and appropriately manage an influence of the volatile substance on the health condition of an affected child.SOLUTION: A monitoring method comprises a detection step of detecting the level of a volatile substance used by a medical intervention on an affected child (X), by ethanol sensors (14a, 14b, and 14c) installed in an incubator (1), and a control step of controlling a predetermined apparatus based on the level of the volatile substance detected by the detection step.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a monitoring method and a monitoring system.

Background Art

[0002] An incubator is a medical device for protecting and treating patients such as premature infants and newborns. When disinfecting a patient's hands, feet, etc. with an alcohol swab in an incubator, volatile substances such as ethanol are generated during disinfection.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] It is known that volatile substances used in medical interventions for patients, such as ethanol, can affect the human body. When the human body is a premature patient, it is assumed that the impact of volatile substances on the premature patient is significant. The present disclosure aims to accurately grasp the concentration of volatile substances such as ethanol in an incubator and appropriately manage the impact of volatile substances on the health of patients.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0004] In order to solve the above problems, a monitoring method according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a detection step of detecting the concentration of a volatile substance used in a medical intervention for a patient by a sensor installed in an incubator, and a control step of controlling a predetermined device based on the concentration of the volatile substance detected in the detection step.

[0005] According to the above monitoring method, by using a predetermined device as a device (removal device, exhaust device, monitor, etc.) for managing the impact of volatile substances on the health of patients, the device is controlled based on the concentration of volatile substances. Thereby, the impact of volatile substances on the health of patients can be appropriately managed.

[0006] To solve the above problems, a monitoring system relating to one aspect of this disclosure comprises a sensor installed in an incubator for detecting the concentration of volatile substances used in medical interventions for the child, and a control means for controlling predetermined equipment based on the concentration of the volatile substances detected by the sensor. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the concentration of volatile substances such as ethanol in an incubator can be accurately determined, and the impact of volatile substances on the health of the child can be appropriately managed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a schematic perspective view of an incubator according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the incubator. [Figure 3] This is a schematic perspective view of an incubator according to Embodiment 2 of this disclosure. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view showing a cross-section of an incubator according to Embodiment 3 of this disclosure. [Figure 5] This flowchart shows an example of a volatile substance monitoring method. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] [Embodiment 1] Some medical interventions for sick children are performed within the incubator. Examples of such interventions include drawing blood from the child or administering intravenous fluids. The incubator is equipped with sensors that detect the concentration of volatile substances in the air within it. These volatile substances, such as ethanol, are used in the medical interventions for sick child X. The following description of the incubator uses ethanol as an example of a volatile substance, but is not limited to this. The volatile substance may also be isopropanol, for example, instead of ethanol.

[0010] <Overview of Incubators> Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of an incubator 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 1, the incubator 1 comprises a bed 11, a bed stage 13, a display unit 15, a housing chamber 101, a mounting platform 102, and an operation panel 102a. The incubator 1 also comprises a volatile substance removal device 110, a purification device 120, a circulation unit 410, a supply unit 420, and a discharge unit 430.

[0011] The containment chamber 101 contains patient X. The platform 102 supports the containment chamber 101. Inside the containment chamber 101 are a bed 11 and partitions 12 positioned in front of and behind the bed 11. The bed 11 is placed on a bed stage 13 provided on the platform 102.

[0012] The bed stage 13 allows the bed 11 to be moved vertically or vertically and horizontally. The partition section 12 is made of transparent resin and has a predetermined height and width from the surface 11a of the bed 11, and is also used as a mounting section for the purification device 120.

[0013] The containment chamber 101 is provided with two treatment openings 101a for a doctor or nurse to administer intravenous fluids or other treatments to patient X. The number of openings 101a does not need to be more than two, but it may be three or more. Disinfection is required whenever any treatment is performed on patient X in the containment chamber 101.

[0014] For example, an alcohol swab is used to disinfect the area to be treated, such as the hand of patient X. If an alcohol swab is used in containment chamber 101, ethanol will be generated in containment chamber 101. To remove the generated ethanol, a volatile substance removal device 110 is placed on the bed 11 in containment chamber 101, and two purification devices 120 are placed on the partition 12 of the bed 11.

[0015] Here, the air in the containment chamber 101 includes a first air source located away from the source of ethanol emission (e.g., alcohol swabs) and a second air source located near the source. The volatile substance removal device 110 mainly removes ethanol from the second air source located near the source of ethanol, and the purification device 120 mainly removes ethanol from the first air source located away from the source of ethanol.

[0016] By arranging the volatile substance removal device 110 and the purification device 120 within the containment chamber 101, it is not necessary to secure separate space for the volatile substance removal device 110 and the purification device 120 in addition to the space for installing the incubator 1.

[0017] The circulation unit 410 is equipped with a fan that circulates air whose temperature and humidity have been regulated by the fan into the containment chamber 101. The supply unit 420 supplies air from outside the containment chamber 101 into the containment chamber 101. The discharge unit 430 discharges at least a portion of the air inside the containment chamber 101 to the outside of the containment chamber 101. Because the circulation unit 410, the supply unit 420, and the discharge unit 430 replace the air inside the containment chamber 101 with the air outside the containment chamber 101, the concentration of ethanol inside the containment chamber 101 can be reduced.

[0018] The mounting base 102 is equipped with an operation panel 102a so that the user (doctor or nurse, etc.) can operate the functions of the incubator 1. In this embodiment, the volatile substance removal device 110 and the purification device 120 are driven by operating the operation units provided on each device, but they may also be driven by operating the operation panel 102a.

[0019] In the incubator 1, the air in the accommodation chamber 101 is regulated in temperature and humidity by the circulation unit 410. That is, the accommodation chamber 101 is configured such that the temperature and humidity inside the accommodation chamber 101 can be adjusted to accommodate the infant X. Further, the volatile substance removal device 110 and the purification device 120 intake the air in the accommodation chamber 101, remove the ethanol contained in the intake air, and exhaust the air from which the ethanol has been removed back into the accommodation chamber 101. Thereby, ethanol can be removed from the accommodation chamber 101 while maintaining the temperature and humidity in the accommodation chamber 101. Note that the incubator 1 may be adjustable in oxygen concentration in addition to temperature and humidity.

[0020] Also, air containing little or no ethanol can be supplied into the accommodation chamber 101 to reduce the ethanol concentration in the air in the accommodation chamber 101. Moreover, since the ethanol in the accommodation chamber 101 is removed, the ethanol concentration in the accommodation chamber 101 can be significantly reduced. Thereby, it is possible to avoid the infant X in the incubator 1 from being inadvertently exposed to ethanol. The display unit 15 (display means) is a monitor that performs displays such as the ethanol concentration detected by a plurality of ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, 14c described later and displays related to the ethanol concentration in the blood described later.

[0021] The volatile substance removal device 110 can be freely arranged and used on the bed 11. For this reason, when disinfecting the infant X, by arranging the volatile substance removal device 110 at a position close to the part to be disinfected, it becomes possible to effectively adsorb the ethanol generated during disinfection.

[0022] <Electrical Configuration of the Incubator> FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the incubator 1 shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the volatile substance monitoring system 100 includes the incubator 1, a plurality of ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, 14c, a control device 16, a recording device 21, and a transmission device 22. The incubator 1 includes an air conditioner 401 constituted by a circulation unit 410, a supply unit 420, and a discharge unit 430.

[0023] The plurality of ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, 14c are installed on the bed 11. That is, the plurality of ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, 14c are installed inside the incubator 1. The plurality of ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, 14c detect the concentration of ethanol in the storage chamber 101. The plurality of ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, 14c may be sensors that detect VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) other than ethanol, for example.

[0024] The ethanol sensors 14a, 14b are installed at the edge on the circulation unit 410 side on the bed 11. The ethanol sensor 14a is installed at the head side end of the patient X at the edge on the circulation unit 410 side, and the ethanol sensor 14b is installed at the foot side end of the patient X at the edge on the circulation unit 410 side. The ethanol sensor 14c is installed at the edge on the opposite side of the circulation unit 410 side on the bed 11 and is installed near the head of the patient X.

[0025] <Control device> The control device 16 controls each part of the incubator 1 and includes an estimation unit 161, an acquisition unit 162, a determination unit 163, and a control unit 164. The estimation unit 161 (estimation means) estimates the concentration of ethanol in the blood of the patient X based on the concentration of ethanol detected by the plurality of ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, 14c.

[0026] The concentration of ethanol in the blood estimated by the estimation unit 161 may be a specific estimated value indicating the concentration of ethanol in the blood, or may be an indication of the stage when the concentration of ethanol in the blood is divided into multiple stages. Further, the estimation unit 161 estimates the current concentration of ethanol in the blood based on the current concentration of ethanol detected by the plurality of ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, 14c.

[0027] By using multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c, the concentration of ethanol in the containment chamber 101 can be accurately detected. This allows the estimation unit 161 to estimate a concentration close to the actual blood ethanol concentration in patient X, and to determine whether the ethanol concentration is such that it could increase the blood ethanol concentration. Therefore, the impact of ethanol on the health status of patient X can be accurately monitored.

[0028] Specifically, the estimation unit 161 estimates the concentration of ethanol in the blood of patient X based on the cumulative value obtained by accumulating the concentrations of ethanol detected by multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c in the containment chamber 101.

[0029] For example, the estimation unit 161 calculates an integrated value for each of the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c by accumulating the ethanol concentrations detected by each sensor. Then, the estimation unit 161 estimates the blood ethanol concentration based on the calculated integrated value. Therefore, since the blood ethanol concentration is estimated based on the integrated value, it is not affected by sudden increases or decreases in ethanol concentration over a short period of time, and the blood ethanol concentration can be estimated accurately.

[0030] Furthermore, the estimation unit 161 estimates the blood ethanol concentration based on the highest ethanol concentration detected by each of the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c. Specifically, the estimation unit 161 compares the cumulative values ​​calculated for each of the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c, and estimates the blood ethanol concentration based on the highest cumulative value among these cumulative values.

[0031] By estimating the blood ethanol concentration based on the highest concentration detected by multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c, it is possible to quickly detect situations that could affect the health of child X. This allows for more accurate management of the impact of ethanol on child X's health.

[0032] The acquisition unit 162 (acquisition means) acquires at least one of the following: (1) the gestational age of the patient X, (2) the age in days of the patient X, and (3) attachment information indicating whether or not a ventilator is attached to the patient X. Specifically, when the user inputs the gestational age of the patient X to the acquisition unit 162 through operation of the control panel 102a, the acquisition unit 162 acquires the gestational age of the patient X.

[0033] Furthermore, if the user operates the control panel 102a and inputs the age of child X in days into the acquisition unit 162, the acquisition unit 162 acquires the age of child X in days. In addition, if the user operates the control panel 102a and inputs the above-mentioned fitting information into the acquisition unit 162, the acquisition unit 162 acquires the above-mentioned fitting information.

[0034] The judgment unit 163 (judgment means) determines the effect of ethanol on the health status of child X based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit 162 and the concentration of ethanol in the blood estimated by the estimation unit 161. The degree of blood ethanol concentration that may affect child X may vary depending on the gestational age of child X, the age of child X in days, and whether or not child X is on a ventilator.

[0035] According to the above configuration, the acquisition unit 162 acquires the gestational age of patient X, the age of patient X in days, and fitting information, and the judgment unit 163 determines the effect of ethanol on the health status of patient X based on this information. Therefore, it becomes possible to manage the effect of ethanol on the health status of patient X more accurately.

[0036] Furthermore, the determination unit 163 determines whether the concentration of ethanol in the blood estimated by the estimation unit 161 has reached a predetermined value. If the determination unit 163 determines that the concentration of ethanol in the blood has reached the predetermined value, the control unit 164 causes the display unit 15 to display that the concentration of ethanol in the blood has reached the predetermined value. Therefore, the display unit 15 displays that the concentration of ethanol in the blood has reached the predetermined value when the concentration of ethanol in the blood estimated by the estimation unit 161 has reached the predetermined value.

[0037] The display unit 15 is a display means, but it may also be an example of a notification means. By displaying that the concentration of ethanol in the blood has reached the predetermined value, it notifies the user that the concentration of ethanol in the blood has reached the predetermined value. By notifying the user when the blood ethanol reaches the predetermined value, it is possible to quickly grasp a situation that could affect the health of child X.

[0038] The control unit 164 (control means) controls at least one of the following based on the ethanol concentration detected by the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c: the display unit 15, the transmitting device 22, the volatile substance removal device 110, the purification device 120, the circulation unit 410, the supply unit 420, and the discharge unit 430. The display unit 15, the transmitting device 22, the volatile substance removal device 110, the purification device 120, the circulation unit 410, the supply unit 420, and the discharge unit 430 are each examples of predetermined equipment, and are devices for managing the effects of ethanol on the health status of child X.

[0039] Here, the volatile substance removal device 110 includes a suction unit (not shown). This suction unit consists of an axial flow fan and takes in outside air. The control unit 164 controls the rotation speed of the axial flow fan of the volatile substance removal device 110 based on the ethanol concentration detected by a plurality of ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c.

[0040] Furthermore, the purification device 120, like the volatile substance removal device 110, includes a suction section (not shown). This suction section of the purification device 120 consists of a fan and takes in outside air. The control unit 164 controls the rotation speed of the fan of the purification device 120 based on the ethanol concentration detected by the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c.

[0041] Furthermore, the control unit 164 controls the supply unit 420 based on the ethanol concentration detected by the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c to adjust the amount of air supplied from outside the containment chamber 101 into the containment chamber 101. This allows the control unit 164 to adjust the amount of air discharged from inside the containment chamber 101 to outside. Therefore, even if ethanol removal is not performed by the volatile substance removal device 110 and the purification device 120, the air inside the containment chamber 101 can be replaced, and the concentration of ethanol inside the containment chamber 101 can be reduced.

[0042] As described above, by using the specified equipment as a device for managing the effects of ethanol on the health of child X (removal device, intake / exhaust device, monitor, etc.), the equipment is controlled based on the concentration of volatile substances. This allows for appropriate management of the effects of ethanol on the health of child X.

[0043] <Recording device> The recording device 21 (recording means) records the ethanol concentration detected by the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c, and detection time information indicating the time when the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c detected the ethanol concentration. The control unit 164 causes the recording device 21 to record the ethanol concentration detected by each of the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c and the time when each of the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c detected the ethanol concentration, in association with each other.

[0044] If the volatile substance monitoring system 100 is equipped with a recording device 21, it becomes possible to record the accurate ethanol concentration along with the detection time information in the recording device 21. Therefore, the accurate ethanol concentration can be managed and used for accurate monitoring. The estimation unit 161 may estimate the ethanol concentration in the blood by referring to the ethanol concentration recorded in the recording device 21 and the detection time information.

[0045] Furthermore, the control unit 164 displays the ethanol concentration recorded in the recording device 21 and the detection time information on the display unit 15. The display unit 15 displays the ethanol concentration recorded in the recording device 21 and the detection time information. When the volatile substance monitoring system 100 is equipped with a display unit 15, it becomes possible to display the accurate ethanol concentration on the display unit 15 along with the detection time information. Therefore, the accurate ethanol concentration can be determined.

[0046] <Transmitter> The transmitting device 22 (transmitting means) transmits the ethanol concentration detected by the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c, as well as the detection time information, to an external device outside the volatile substance monitoring system 100. The control unit 164 instructs the transmitting device 22 to transmit the ethanol concentration and the detection time information to an external device located outside the volatile substance monitoring system 100. The external device may receive the ethanol concentration and the detection time information from the transmitting device 22 and display the ethanol concentration and the detection time information, etc.

[0047] If the volatile substance monitoring system 100 is equipped with a transmitting device 22, it becomes possible to transmit the accurate ethanol concentration along with the detection time information to the transmitting device 22. Therefore, the accurate ethanol concentration can be managed by an external device and used for precise monitoring.

[0048] <Volatile Substance Monitoring Methods> Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the volatile substance monitoring method according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 5, first, in step S1, the concentration of ethanol in the containment chamber 101 is detected by a plurality of ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c (detection step). After step S1, in step S2, the estimation unit 161 estimates the concentration of ethanol in the blood of patient X based on the concentrations of ethanol detected by the plurality of ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c (estimation step).

[0049] After step S2, in step S3, the recording device 21 records the ethanol concentrations detected by the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c, and the detection time information (recording step). After step S3, in step S4, the display unit 15 displays the ethanol concentrations detected by the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c, and the detection time information (display step).

[0050] After step S4, in step S5, the transmitting device 22 transmits the ethanol concentration detected by the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c, as well as the detection time information, to an external device (transmission step). After step S5, in step S6, the control unit 164 controls a predetermined device based on the ethanol concentration detected by the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c (control step). In the volatile substance monitoring method, at least one of steps S2 to S5 may be performed, and the order in which steps S2 to S6 are performed may be changed.

[0051] (Variation 1) The estimation unit 161 may estimate the blood ethanol concentration based on the lowest ethanol concentration detected by each of the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c. Specifically, the estimation unit 161 compares the cumulative values ​​calculated for each of the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c, and estimates the blood ethanol concentration based on the lowest cumulative value among these cumulative values.

[0052] The blood ethanol concentration is estimated based on the lowest concentration detected by multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c. This allows for accurate estimation of the blood ethanol concentration even when the incubator 1 is installed in an environment where the output of ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c fluctuates significantly. Therefore, the impact of ethanol on the health status of child X can be managed more accurately.

[0053] (Modification 2) The estimation unit 161 may estimate the blood ethanol concentration based on the highest ethanol concentration detected per unit time among the ethanol concentrations detected by each of the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c. Specifically, the estimation unit 161 accumulates the ethanol concentrations detected by each of the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c within a unit time.

[0054] As a result, the estimation unit 161 calculates the cumulative value per unit time for each of the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c. The estimation unit 161 then compares the cumulative values ​​calculated for each of the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c, and estimates the concentration of ethanol in the blood based on the highest cumulative value among these cumulative values.

[0055] By estimating the blood ethanol concentration based on the highest concentration detected by multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c, it is possible to quickly detect situations that could affect the health of child X. Furthermore, by using the ethanol concentration detected per unit time, the impact of ethanol on child X's health can be managed more accurately.

[0056] (Variation 3) The estimation unit 161 may estimate the blood ethanol concentration based on the lowest ethanol concentration detected per unit time among the ethanol concentrations detected by each of the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c. Specifically, the estimation unit 161 calculates the cumulative value per unit time for each of the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c, similar to the modification 2. Then, the estimation unit 161 compares the cumulative values ​​calculated for each of the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c and estimates the blood ethanol concentration based on the lowest cumulative value among these cumulative values.

[0057] The blood ethanol concentration is estimated based on the lowest concentration detected by multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c. This allows for accurate estimation of the blood ethanol concentration even when the incubator 1 is installed in an environment where the output of ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c fluctuates significantly. Furthermore, by basing the estimation on the ethanol concentration detected per unit time, the impact of ethanol on the health status of child X can be managed more accurately.

[0058] (Modification 4) The estimation unit 161 may estimate the blood ethanol concentration based on the average or median value of the ethanol concentrations detected by each of the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c. Specifically, the estimation unit 161 calculates a total value by summing the cumulative values ​​calculated for each of the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c.

[0059] The estimation unit 161 calculates the average value of the cumulative ethanol concentration by dividing the calculated total value by 3, which is the number of ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c. The estimation unit 161 also determines the median value among the cumulative values ​​calculated for each of the ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c.

[0060] For example, if an ethanol sensor located close to patient X detects a low ethanol concentration, while an ethanol sensor located far from patient X detects a high ethanol concentration, this could potentially affect patient X's health. Even in such a situation, the above configuration allows for accurate management of the impact of ethanol on patient X's health, as the blood ethanol concentration is estimated based on the average or median ethanol concentration.

[0061] (Variation 5) The estimation unit 161 may estimate the future blood ethanol concentration based on the time-dependent trend of ethanol concentration detected by each of the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c. For example, the estimation unit 161 calculates the rate of change or trend of change of ethanol concentration as a time-dependent trend of ethanol concentration based on the ethanol concentration from the present to a predetermined time ago and the current ethanol concentration. The estimation unit 161 estimates the future blood ethanol concentration based on the calculated rate of change of ethanol concentration.

[0062] By estimating the future concentration of ethanol in the blood, it is possible to identify situations that could affect the health of child X before the effects actually occur. This allows for an accurate assessment of the impact of ethanol on child X's health.

[0063] (Experimental variation 6) The control unit 164 may display the blood ethanol concentration estimated by the estimation unit 161 on the display unit 15. In this case, the display unit 15 displays the blood ethanol concentration estimated by the estimation unit 161. Therefore, the blood ethanol concentration can be easily determined using the display unit 15.

[0064] (Example 7) The control unit 164 may display the current ethanol concentration detected by each of the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c on the display unit 15. In this case, the display unit 15 displays the current ethanol concentration detected by each of the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c. Therefore, the ethanol concentration can be easily determined by the display unit 15. In other words, it is possible to determine whether the ethanol concentration is such that it can increase the ethanol concentration in the blood.

[0065] (Variation 8) If the determination unit 163 determines that the concentration of ethanol in the blood has reached the predetermined value, the control unit 164 may cause the display unit 15 to display that it is necessary to remove ethanol from the containment chamber 101. The display unit 15 displays that it is necessary to remove ethanol from the containment chamber 101 if the concentration of ethanol in the blood estimated by the estimation unit 161 has reached the predetermined value.

[0066] Furthermore, if the determination unit 163 determines that the concentration of ethanol in the blood has not reached the predetermined value, the control unit 164 may cause the display unit 15 to display that there is no need to remove ethanol from the containment chamber 101. The display unit 15 displays that there is no need to remove ethanol from the containment chamber 101 if the concentration of ethanol in the blood estimated by the estimation unit 161 has reached the predetermined value.

[0067] (Extreme variation 9) Consider the case where the determination unit 163 determines that the concentration of ethanol in the blood has reached the predetermined value, or where it determines that the concentration of ethanol in the blood is at risk of reaching the predetermined value of volatile substances in the incubator 1. In these cases, the control unit 164 may display a warning on the display unit 15 indicating that ethanol may cause toxicity to the child X. The display unit 15 displays a warning indicating that ethanol may cause toxicity to the child X if the concentration of ethanol in the blood estimated by the estimation unit 161 reaches the predetermined value.

[0068] (Variation 10) The control unit 164 may display at least one of the following on the display unit 15: the change in ethanol concentration, trend, cumulative value, variance, range, and coefficient of variation detected by each of the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c. In this case, the display unit 15 displays at least one of the following: the change in ethanol concentration, trend, cumulative value, variance, range, and coefficient of variation detected by each of the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c. This makes it easy to check information regarding the ethanol concentration in the containment chamber 101.

[0069] When the display unit 15 displays an integrated value, it displays the integrated value of the ethanol concentration in the containment chamber 101, or the integrated value of the time during which the ethanol concentration in the containment chamber 101 remained above a specific concentration. The control unit 164 may also display the following on the display unit 15 for the ethanol concentration detected by each of the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c. Specifically, the control unit 164 may display at least one of the following on the display unit 15: the range of values ​​over which the ethanol concentration changes, the range of values ​​the integrated value can take, the range of values ​​for the variance, and the range of values ​​for the coefficient of variation.

[0070] (Variation 11) The control unit 164 may display the safety of performing treatment on patient X in multiple stages on the display unit 15 based on the ethanol concentrations detected by the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c. In this case, the display unit 15 displays the safety of performing treatment on patient X in multiple stages.

[0071] (Example 12) The control unit 164 may also display the rotation speed of the fan of the purification device 120 on the display unit 15 as an indication of the operation status of the purification device 120. In this case, the display unit 15 displays the rotation speed of the fan of the purification device 120.

[0072] (Example 13) The control unit 164 may display on the display unit 15, based on the ethanol concentrations detected by the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c, at least one of the following: whether the containment chamber 101 is saturated with ethanol, or whether the degree of ethanol desorption is within a specified range. In this case, the display unit 15 displays at least one of the following: whether the containment chamber 101 is saturated with ethanol, or whether the degree of ethanol desorption is within a specified range.

[0073] (Variation 14) The acquisition unit 162 may acquire other information about patient X, separate from (1) the gestational age of patient X, (2) the age of patient X in days, and (3) the above-mentioned fitting information. Other information about patient X acquired by the acquisition unit 162 may include, for example, (4) the method of respiratory management being performed on patient X, and (5) at least one of the presence or absence of an arterial line indicating whether or not an arterial line is connected to patient X.

[0074] If the user operates the control panel 102a and inputs other information about patient X into the acquisition unit 162, the acquisition unit 162 acquires the other information about patient X. The judgment unit 163 determines the effect of ethanol on the health status of patient X based on the other information about patient X acquired by the acquisition unit 162 and the concentration of ethanol in the blood estimated by the estimation unit 161.

[0075] (Variation 15) The estimation unit 161 may estimate the concentration of ethanol in the blood based on other information about patient X of the modified example 14 acquired by the acquisition unit 162, regression coefficients predetermined by regression analysis, and the concentrations of ethanol detected by the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c.

[0076] Here, the multiple patients subject to statistical analysis are divided into multiple groups according to (1) the gestational age of patient X, (2) the age of patient X in days, (3) the above-mentioned implantation information, (4) the above-mentioned respiratory management method, and (5) the above-mentioned information on the presence or absence of an arterial line. The regression coefficient is determined for each of the multiple groups, and is statistical data determined from the average value of the ethanol concentration in the blood obtained by blood sampling for one group and the ethanol concentration detected by the ethanol sensor.

[0077] The regression coefficients mentioned above are recorded in the recording device 21. The estimation unit 161 estimates the concentration of ethanol in the blood based on the regression coefficients determined from the group corresponding to other information of patient X in the modified example 14 acquired by the acquisition unit 162, and the concentrations of ethanol detected by the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c.

[0078] (Variation 16) The control unit 164 may control external devices such as sensors located outside the incubator 1 based on the ethanol concentration detected by the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c. The external devices located outside the incubator 1 are examples of predetermined devices.

[0079] (Example 17) Figure 1 shows an example of an incubator 1 in which two purification devices 120 are placed on one side of the bed 11 (the head side of the child X), but the placement and number of devices are not limited to this. Two purification devices 120 may be placed on the opposite side (the foot side of the child X), or one purification device 120 may be placed on each side of the bed 11. In addition, one or three or more purification devices 120 may be placed.

[0080] (Example 18) At least one of the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c may be provided in the volatile substance removal device 110 or the purification device 120. This allows the ethanol sensor to detect the concentration of ethanol in the air taken in or discharged by the volatile substance removal device 110 or the purification device 120.

[0081] (Variation 19) The control device 16 may also transmit and receive data with external devices located outside the incubator 1. In this case, the recording device 21 records the cumulative values ​​calculated by the estimation unit 161 for each of the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c.

[0082] The control unit 164 transmits the accumulated value recorded in the recording device 21 to an external device located outside the incubator 1. The acquisition unit 162 acquires the data received by the control device 16 from the external device located outside the incubator 1. By the control unit 164 transmitting the accumulated value to the external device located outside the incubator 1, the accumulated value can be transferred to the external device located outside the incubator 1 when the child X is moved out of the incubator 1.

[0083] (Modification 20) In addition to the display unit 15, an audio output unit can be used as a notification means. When the determination unit 163 determines that the concentration of ethanol in the blood has reached the predetermined value, the control unit 164 causes the audio output unit to output an audio message indicating that the concentration of ethanol in the blood has reached the predetermined value. Therefore, when the concentration of ethanol in the blood estimated by the estimation unit 161 reaches the predetermined value, the audio output unit outputs an audio message indicating that the concentration of ethanol in the blood has reached the predetermined value.

[0084] (Example 21) The volatile substance monitoring system 100 may include at least one of the following: a display unit 15, a recording device 21, a transmitting device 22, an estimation unit 161, an acquisition unit 162, and a determination unit 163. Let's consider the case where the volatile substance monitoring system 100 does not include the estimation unit 161 but does include the display unit 15. In this case, the display unit 15 displays the ethanol concentration detected by the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c, and the detection time information.

[0085] (Modification 22) The volatile substance monitoring system 100 may include multiple isopropanol sensors instead of multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c. In this case, the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c in embodiments 1 to 3 are replaced with multiple isopropanol sensors.

[0086] Multiple isopropanol sensors detect the concentration of isopropanol. Multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, 14c and multiple isopropanol sensors are examples of sensors that detect the concentration of volatile substances.

[0087] (Example 23) This disclosure is also applicable to incubators 1 that do not have one or both of the volatile substance removal device 110 and the purification device 120. Furthermore, the number of ethanol sensors in the volatile substance monitoring system 100 is not limited to the three ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c, but may be two or four or more. In addition, the installation locations of the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c may be locations other than those described above.

[0088] (Modification 24) The volatile substance removal device 110 and the purification device 120 may be located on the lower side of the bed 11. The control unit 164 controls the rotation speed of the fan in the circulation unit 410 based on the ethanol concentration detected by the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c. This allows the amount of air circulating in the containment chamber 101 to be changed, and the amount of ethanol removed by the volatile substance removal device 110 and the purification device 120 to be changed. Therefore, even if the volatile substance removal device 110 and the purification device 120 are located on the lower side of the bed 11, the concentration of ethanol in the containment chamber 101 can be reduced.

[0089] (Variation 25) At least one of the supply unit 420 and the discharge unit 430 may be equipped with a fan. The control unit 164 controls the rotation speed of the fan in at least one of the supply unit 420 and the discharge unit 430 based on the ethanol concentration detected by the plurality of ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c. This allows for air exchange in the containment chamber 101 and a reduction in the ethanol concentration in the containment chamber 101, even when ethanol removal is not performed by the volatile substance removal device 110 and the purification device 120.

[0090] (Variation 26) At least one of a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor may be installed in the containment chamber 101. In this case, the temperature sensor detects the temperature inside the containment chamber 101, and the humidity sensor detects the humidity inside the containment chamber 101. The control unit 164 corrects the outputs of the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c based on at least one of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor and the humidity detected by the humidity sensor.

[0091] (Example 27) The volatile substance monitoring system 100 may be equipped with only one ethanol sensor from among the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c. In this case, the control unit 164 controls a predetermined device based on the concentration of ethanol detected by the single ethanol sensor.

[0092] (Example 28) The incubator 1 may be an open-type incubator that does not have a containment chamber 101. In this case, the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c are installed in the incubator 1. The multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c also detect the concentration of ethanol in the air near the incubator 1.

[0093] [Embodiment 2] Embodiment 2 of this disclosure will be described below. For the sake of clarity, components having the same function as those described in Embodiment 1 will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will not be repeated. Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of the incubator 2 according to Embodiment 2 of this disclosure.

[0094] In the incubator 1 shown in Figure 1, the circulation unit 410 circulates air within the incubator 1, the supply unit 420 supplies air into the incubator 1, and the discharge unit 430 exhausts air to the outside of the incubator 1, all located above the bed 11 in the containment chamber 101. In other words, the main air circulation in the incubator 1 shown in Figure 1 takes place above the bed 11 in the containment chamber 101. Therefore, there is a possibility that the temperature changes caused by the airflow may affect the child X on the bed 11 in the containment chamber 101.

[0095] Therefore, in order to minimize the effect of temperature changes due to airflow on the patient X on the bed 11 in the containment chamber 101, it is preferable to configure the incubator 2 as shown in Figure 3. In the incubator 2, it is preferable to circulate the air inside the incubator 1, supply air to the incubator 1, and discharge air to the outside of the incubator 1 at the lower side of the bed 11 in the containment chamber 101. Regarding the direction of air discharge from inside the incubator 1 to the outside of the incubator 1, it is preferable to discharge in a direction that does not obstruct the air circulation direction inside the incubator 1 (for example, in the same direction as the circulation direction).

[0096] In the incubator 2 shown in Figure 3, although not shown, the same circulation unit 410 and supply unit 420 as in Figure 1 are located below the bed 11. Incubator 2 does not have a device to actively discharge the air from incubator 1 to the outside of incubator 1, as shown in the discharge unit 430 in Figure 1. In addition, incubator 2 discharges the air inside incubator 1 to the outside of incubator 1 through the opening 101a of the containment chamber 101 and the small gap between the containment chamber 101 and the mounting base 102.

[0097] In incubator 2, the air inside incubator 2, whose temperature and humidity are regulated by a circulation unit 410 located beneath the bed 11, is guided along the inner wall on the long side of incubator 1 from beneath the bed 11 to the upper part of the containment chamber 101. Similarly, the air inside incubator 2 is guided along the inner wall on the short side of incubator 2, from above the bed 11 to the circulation unit 410 beneath the bed 11. In this way, incubator 1 is designed to minimize the impact of temperature changes due to airflow on the infant X.

[0098] Therefore, with incubator 2, it is possible to keep the air inside incubator 2 clean and maintain appropriate temperature and humidity while minimizing the influence of airflow inside incubator 2 on the patient X in the containment chamber 101.

[0099] [Embodiment 3] Embodiment 3 of this disclosure will be described below. For the sake of convenience, components having the same function as those described in Embodiments 1 and 2 will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will not be repeated.

[0100] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross-section of an incubator 3 according to Embodiment 3 of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 4, the incubator 1 comprises a water tank 17, a heating unit 18, a heater 19, and a fan 20. The water tank 17 contains water. The heating unit 18 is provided inside the water tank 17 and generates steam by heating the water contained in the water tank 17.

[0101] The steam generated by the heating unit 18 is circulated within the containment chamber 101 by the fan 20. The water tank 17 and the heating unit 18 constitute a boiler. The heater 19 raises the temperature inside the containment chamber 101 by heating the air supplied to the heater 19 by the fan 20.

[0102] The control unit 164 controls at least one of the heating unit 18, heater 19, and fan 20 based on the ethanol concentration detected by the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c. The heating unit 18, heater 19, and fan 20 are each examples of predetermined equipment. They are described in detail below.

[0103] The control unit 164 controls the output of the heating unit 18 based on the ethanol concentration detected by the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c. Specifically, the control unit 164 controls the magnitude of the current supplied to the heating unit 18. Similarly, the control unit 164 controls the output of the heater 19 based on the ethanol concentration detected by the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c. Specifically, the control unit 164 controls the magnitude of the current supplied to the heater 19.

[0104] Furthermore, the control unit 164 controls the rotation speed of the fan 20 based on the ethanol concentration detected by the multiple ethanol sensors 14a, 14b, and 14c. The control unit 164 can adjust the temperature and humidity inside the containment chamber 101 by controlling at least one of the heating unit 18, heater 19, and fan 20.

[0105] [Examples of implementation using software] The functions of the volatile substance monitoring system 100 (hereinafter referred to as "the device") can be realized by a program that causes a computer to function as the device, and by a program that causes a computer to function as each control block of the device (in particular, each part included in the control device 16).

[0106] In this case, the device includes a computer having at least one control device 16 (e.g., a processor) and at least one recording device 21 (e.g., memory) as hardware for executing the program. By executing the program using this control device 16 and recording device 21, each of the functions described in each of the embodiments is realized.

[0107] The above program may be recorded on one or more computer-readable recording media, not temporary ones. These recording media may or may not be provided by the above device. In the latter case, the program may be supplied to the above device via any wired or wireless transmission medium.

[0108] Furthermore, some or all of the functions of each of the above control blocks can also be realized by logic circuits. For example, an integrated circuit in which logic circuits functioning as each of the above control blocks are formed is also included in the scope of the present invention. In addition, it is also possible to realize the functions of each of the above control blocks by, for example, a quantum computer.

[0109] Furthermore, each process described in the above embodiments may be performed by AI (Artificial Intelligence). In this case, the AI ​​may operate on the control device described above, or it may operate on other devices (for example, an edge computer or a cloud server).

[0110] 〔summary〕 A volatile substance monitoring system relating to one aspect of this disclosure is installed in an incubator having a containment chamber with adjustable internal temperature and humidity for housing a child, and comprises a plurality of sensors for detecting the concentration of volatile substances used in medical interventions on the child in the containment chamber, an estimation means for estimating the concentration of volatile substances in the blood of the child based on the concentrations of the volatile substances detected by the plurality of sensors, a recording means for recording the concentration of the volatile substances detected by the plurality of sensors and detection time information indicating the time when the plurality of sensors detected the concentration of the volatile substances, a display means for displaying the concentration of the volatile substances detected by the plurality of sensors and the detection time information, and a transmission means for transmitting the concentration of the volatile substances detected by the plurality of sensors and the detection time information to an external party.

[0111] According to the above configuration, the concentration of volatile substances in the containment chamber can be accurately detected by using multiple sensors. This allows the volatile substance monitoring system, if equipped with an estimation means, to estimate a concentration close to the actual concentration of volatile substances in the patient's blood and to determine whether the ethanol concentration is such that it could increase the blood ethanol concentration. Furthermore, if the volatile substance monitoring system is equipped with a recording means, the accurate concentration of volatile substances can be recorded along with the detection time information. Therefore, the concentration of volatile substances can be accurately managed and used for precise monitoring.

[0112] Furthermore, if the volatile substance monitoring system is equipped with a display means, it is possible to display the accurate concentration of volatile substances along with the detection time information on the display means. Therefore, the accurate concentration of volatile substances can be determined. Moreover, if the volatile substance monitoring system is equipped with a transmission means, it is possible to transmit the accurate concentration of volatile substances along with the detection time information to the transmission means. Therefore, the accurate concentration of volatile substances can be managed by an external device and used for accurate monitoring. As a result, the impact of volatile substances on the health status of children can be accurately monitored.

[0113] The volatile substance is ethanol, and the sensor may be an ethanol sensor. By using an ethanol sensor, the concentration of ethanol in the storage chamber can be accurately detected. This makes it possible for the estimation means to estimate a concentration of ethanol that is close to the actual concentration in the blood of the child. Therefore, the effects of ethanol on the child's health can be accurately monitored.

[0114] The volatile substance monitoring system may include the estimation means, which may estimate the concentration of ethanol in the blood of the child based on an integrated value obtained by accumulating the concentrations of ethanol detected by the plurality of ethanol sensors in the containment chamber. With the above configuration, since the concentration of ethanol in the blood is estimated based on the integrated value, the concentration of ethanol in the blood can be accurately estimated without being affected by sudden increases or decreases in ethanol concentration in a short period of time.

[0115] The estimation means may estimate the blood ethanol concentration based on the highest concentration of ethanol detected by each of the multiple ethanol sensors. With the above configuration, by estimating the blood ethanol concentration based on the highest concentration of ethanol detected by the multiple ethanol sensors, it is possible to quickly detect situations that may affect the child's health. This makes it possible to more accurately manage the impact of ethanol on the child's health.

[0116] The estimation means may estimate the blood ethanol concentration based on the lowest ethanol concentration detected by each of the multiple ethanol sensors. According to the above configuration, the blood ethanol concentration is estimated based on the lowest ethanol concentration detected by the multiple ethanol sensors. This makes it possible to accurately estimate the blood ethanol concentration even when the incubator is installed in an environment where the output of the ethanol sensors fluctuates greatly. Therefore, the impact of ethanol on the health status of the child can be managed more accurately.

[0117] The estimation means may estimate the concentration of ethanol in the blood based on the highest concentration of ethanol detected per unit time among the concentrations of ethanol detected by each of the plurality of ethanol sensors.

[0118] With the above configuration, the blood ethanol concentration can be estimated based on the highest concentration detected by multiple ethanol sensors, allowing for the early detection of situations that could affect the child's health. Furthermore, by using the ethanol concentration detected per unit time, the impact of ethanol on the child's health can be managed more accurately.

[0119] The estimation means may estimate the concentration of ethanol in the blood based on the lowest concentration of ethanol detected per unit time among the concentrations of ethanol detected by each of the plurality of ethanol sensors.

[0120] According to the above configuration, the blood ethanol concentration is estimated based on the lowest concentration detected by multiple ethanol sensors. This allows for accurate estimation of the blood ethanol concentration even when the incubator is installed in an environment where the output of the ethanol sensors fluctuates significantly. Furthermore, by basing the estimation on the ethanol concentration detected per unit time, the impact of ethanol on the child's health can be managed more accurately.

[0121] The estimation means may estimate the blood ethanol concentration based on the average or median value of the ethanol concentration detected by each of the plurality of ethanol sensors. For example, if an ethanol sensor located close to the child detects a low ethanol concentration, while an ethanol sensor located farther away detects a high ethanol concentration, this could affect the child's health. Even in such a situation, the above configuration allows for accurate management of the impact of ethanol on the child's health, as the blood ethanol concentration is estimated based on the average or median value of the ethanol concentration.

[0122] The volatile substance monitoring system may include an acquisition means for acquiring at least one of the following: (1) the gestational age of the child, (2) the age of the child in days, and (3) whether or not the child is fitted with a ventilator; and a determination means for determining the effect of ethanol on the health status of the child based on the information acquired by the acquisition means and the concentration of ethanol in the blood of the child.

[0123] The level of ethanol concentration in the blood that could affect a child can vary depending on the child's gestational age, age in days, and whether or not the child is on a ventilator. With the above configuration, the acquisition means obtains the child's gestational age, age in days, and ventilator use information, and the judgment means determines the impact of ethanol on the child's health condition based on this information. This makes it possible to manage the impact of ethanol on the child's health condition more accurately.

[0124] The volatile substance monitoring system may further include a notification means that provides notification when the concentration of ethanol in the blood, as estimated by the estimation means, reaches a predetermined value. With this configuration, by providing notification when the concentration of ethanol in the blood reaches a predetermined value, it is possible to quickly grasp a situation that could affect the health of the child.

[0125] A volatile substance monitoring method relating to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises at least one of the following steps: a detection step in which a plurality of sensors installed in an incubator having a containment chamber in which the internal temperature and humidity can be controlled for containing a child detect the concentration of volatile substances used by medical interventions on the child in the containment chamber; an estimation step in which the concentration of volatile substances in the blood of the child is estimated based on the concentration of volatile substances detected by the plurality of sensors; a recording step in which the concentration of volatile substances detected by the plurality of sensors and detection time information indicating the time when the plurality of sensors detected the concentration of volatile substances; a display step in which the concentration of volatile substances detected by the plurality of sensors and the detection time information are displayed; and a transmission step in which the concentration of volatile substances detected by the plurality of sensors and the detection time information are transmitted to an external party.

[0126] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0127] 1, 2, 3 Incubators 11 Beds 11a Surface 12 Partition 13 Bed stage 14a, 14b, 14c Ethanol sensor 15 Display unit 16 Control device 17 Water tank 18 Heating section 19 Heater 20 Fan 21 Recording device 22 Transmitter 100 Volatile Substance Monitoring System 101 Containment chamber 101a Opening 102 Mounting platform 102a Control panel 110 Volatile substance removal device 120 Purification device 161 Estimation section 162 Acquisition section 163 Determination unit 164 Control unit 401 Air conditioning unit; 410 Circulation section 420 Supply Department 430 Discharge Department

Claims

1. It can be installed in an incubator equipped with a containment chamber in which the internal temperature and humidity can be controlled for housing a sick child, and includes one or more sensors for detecting the concentration of volatile substances in the containment chamber, The system includes an estimation means for estimating the concentration of the volatile substance in the blood of the child based on the concentration of the volatile substance detected by the sensor, The estimation means calculates an integrated value by accumulating the concentrations of the volatile substance detected by the sensor, and estimates the concentration of the volatile substance in the blood based on the calculated integrated value. A volatile substance monitoring system in which the volatile substance is ethanol or isopropanol.

2. The volatile substance monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the volatile substance is a volatile substance used in medical interventions on the child in the containment chamber.

3. A detection step in which one or more sensors are installed in an incubator equipped with a containment chamber in which the internal temperature and humidity can be controlled to house a sick child, to detect the concentration of volatile substances in the containment chamber, The system includes an estimation step of estimating the concentration of the volatile substance in the blood of the child based on the concentration of the volatile substance detected by the sensor, In the estimation step, the cumulative value is calculated by accumulating the concentrations of the volatile substance detected by the sensor, and the concentration of the volatile substance in the blood is estimated based on the calculated cumulative value. A method for monitoring volatile substances, wherein the volatile substance is ethanol or isopropanol.

4. The volatile substance monitoring method according to claim 3, wherein the volatile substance is a volatile substance used in medical interventions on the child in the containment chamber.

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